A photographer, who is very good at it, posted this comment on a forum under the title “Giving Stuff Away”, a few days ago:

“Ahead of a book I will have to sell, and a web page I have to finish to sell images, I have been giving away images, about 1 every two weeks. To those who sign up for the email list. I just posted this one. See if I get any responses. I am up to 940 on email list.”

My first reply:

I offered a booklet (hardcover) for comments recently.
Got 3 comments only.
All three people have bought from me so the booklet can be like a bonus to them for their business.
But giving away to get, I don’t believe it works.In my regular work, someone calls, I go, do the work, get paid. I gave nothing to them for free to get the business. Why should it be any different with digital products?

A street vendor with a pickup full of oranges gave me a slice to taste, a free sample. The next time I saw him, he gave me a whole orange free. Sure I’ll remember him next time he’s in town.
That’s giving a free sample, not the whole pickup load.

My intellectual work is just as valuable of a product as are oranges.
This contest I mentioned in my first reply has ended and the booklets are on their way to the people who commented.
I’m not giving them the books. I am buying their comments.
Captain Molan didn’t give that image away, he bought email addresses with it.

He replied to me:
“I agree. It’s a form of advertising. It’s a fair trade for me. People sharing this off creates the buzz that helps the word spread.
My goal is to have book sales and speaking gigs through the book. The images are an important part of all three. I learned a while ago just selling photos would be a struggle.”

Trading value for value is not giving, each party profits.

One respondent said her ebook was given away free online and now “I had to send an actual act of Congress to get it down, but it’s still all over the net as a free eBook.”

Free.
Is anything really free.
I’m a really conservative guy, but when it comes to getting a job done right, I don’t skimp on the quality of products used even if it costs more.

Free shipping.
Buy one get the second one free.
You are paying for that and it is all figured into the cost.
And the free content online is pages and pages of repitious talk about how good the product is if you’ll only buy it.

Incentives or lost leaders but not a gievaway.

Just giving is what charities are. I don’t ever intend on receiving in return for my gifts.

So trading, buying, advertising with my “free” whatever is not really giving.Let’s stop saying it is